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a particular vendor. Inquiry then showed that a large proportion of those
falling ill gave a history of eating mussels from the same source.
All shellfish are known to be liable to cause poisoning in certain circumstances
to susceptible persons, but certain shellfish, on account of being cultivated
in the estuaries of rivers near sewage outfalls are regarded as being
liable to be specifically polluted with the organisms of Enteric Fever. These
shellfish are Oysters, Mussels, Escallops, Cockles, Periwinkles and Whelks.
Oysters, Mussels and Escallops are sold raw, Cockles, Periwinkles and Whelks
are cooked before being sold; the three last therefore may be said to be
practically sterilised, and danger is more likely to arise from the three first,
and in the reverse order to that mentioned, because Escallops are seldom eaten
raw, Mussels are often eaten raw, and Oysters are mostly eaten raw.
PUERPERAL FEVER.
In connection with this disease it is interesting to note the rules and
regulations to be observed by Midwives holding the certificate of the Obstetrical
Society of London, published by Messrs. Longmans, Green & Co., 1899.
"10. Whenever a midwife has been in attendance upon a patient suffering
from puerperal fever, or from any other illness supposed to be infectious, she
must disinfect her hands and all her instruments, and have her clothing
thoroughly disinfected before going to another labour."
" 5. Disinfection of Instruments:—
(a) All glass or metal instruments must be boiled in a covered vessel
for at least ten minutes.
(b) All instruments which would be injured by being boiled must after
use be thoroughly cleansed with soap and water, then thoroughly
rinsed in clean water, and afterwards left lying as long as possible
in corrosive sublimate solution (1 in 1,000)."
"2. The midwife must disinfect her hands and arms as follows:—The
hands and arms must first be scrubbed with soap and water, the nail brush
being used for the hands and nails, particularly the grooves round the roots
of the nails. The soap and water must then be rinsed off in clean water, and
the hands soaked for a full minute in the corrosive sublimate solution. The
hands must be well cleansed and must be soaked in the corrosive sublimate
solution before each examination."
DIARRHŒA AND CONDENSED MILK.
Prevention of Infantile Diarrhœa.—From 70 to 75 percent, of the deaths
from diarrhœa occur in infants under one year of age, and about seven-tenths of
these deaths occur during the third quarter of the year. Most of the deaths
of infants from diarrhœa owe their origin to errors in feeding and food.
Infants suffering from diarrhœa are seldom breast-fed children. As the large
majority of diarrhoea affected children are hand or bottle-fed, and especially
as a large number are fed on condensed milk, this form of food presents an
opportunity of guiding mothers in methods of prevention by means of
instructions upon printed labels.